After a chance encounter at a holiday party sparked Kate’s interest in Persona, they found themselves drawn to the company's unique culture and collaborative spirit. In this spotlight, they discuss their transition into their first Account Executive role and offer insights into what sets sales at Persona apart.
Can you tell us a little about your background and how you ended up at Persona?
I started my career in Customer Success within the fintech space and worked my way up to leading Sales Engineering and Account Management teams. This is my first time as an Account Executive!
I found Persona in a rather unexpected way — I attended their holiday party as my friend’s plus one. I was really impressed by the smart, down-to-earth team.
A month later, I saw a post about Persona’s Account Executive role in SF. The role perfectly aligned with my career trajectory — I had extensive post-sales experience and was specifically looking for a sales position to round out my skill set. I want to be a sales leader one day and knew I couldn’t effectively lead a revenue team without having carried a quota myself.
What piqued your interest in sales at Persona?
What drew me to sales at Persona was a unique combination of personal growth opportunities and organizational support. Having led Sales Engineering, Implementation, and Customer Success teams, I had developed a strong foundation in the technical and relationship aspects of enterprise software. However, I knew there was a crucial piece missing in my professional toolkit: direct sales experience.
Making this kind of pivot can be daunting, but instead of viewing my non-traditional background as a limitation, Persona saw it as an asset. They understood that my diverse experience could bring a unique angle to customer conversations and team dynamics. What's more, they backed this belief with genuine support and investment in my development.
What does a typical day as an Account Executive look like?
We start with team check-ins — there’s a lot of cross-collaboration across the sales team and leaders. We’re always catching up on each other’s deals and sharing insights — the environment at HQ is incredibly supportive, which makes the team dynamic really fun and energizing.
Most of my day revolves around customer interactions. What keeps me energized is how each conversation brings new learning opportunities and challenges to solve — no two conversations are alike! One hour I might be helping a rapidly scaling startup navigate their identity verification needs, and the next I'm collaborating with a Fortune 500 company to enhance their fraud prevention strategy.
One of my favorite parts of the day is our afternoon iced tea excursions. They're not just about beating the post-lunch slump — they're opportunities for informal mentoring, brainstorming sessions, and laughing with my team. These moments of connection make our sales floor feel less like a workplace and more like a community working toward shared goals.
Can you describe the sales atmosphere at HQ in three words?
Collaborative is more than just a buzzword here — it's evident in how we approach every deal. There's a genuine spirit of teamwork where wins are shared wins, and challenges are opportunities for collective problem-solving.
Dynamic reflects our high-performance culture — but with an important distinction: we're not just chasing numbers. We're constantly adapting, evolving, and pushing boundaries to achieve exceptional results. It's about being agile and responsive in an ever-changing market while maintaining excellence.
Innovative captures the entrepreneurial spirit that I believe sets this sales team apart from others. We have the freedom to craft creative solutions for our clients (e.g. structuring unique terms, building new use cases, or finding unexpected ways to demonstrate value). There's no rigid playbook here — if you can envision a way to bring value to a client while staying true to our principles, you have the support to pursue it.
What do you wish that you could have told yourself on your first day 6 months ago?
“Dive in headfirst, build strong relationships, and don’t hesitate to get creative. Push yourself to think outside the box and be confident in doing things differently.”
When I was new, I had the idea to go to a crypto conference to learn and meet potential clients. I received nothing but support from management and my team for trying something new! At Persona, you’re rewarded for taking creative approaches and going above and beyond, so I’d tell myself to fully lean into that from day one.
What excites you most about your future at Persona?
We have built an incredible platform! Having such exciting products that solve interesting problems makes sales at Persona fun.
Also, our sales team is still small, but mighty, which means each person is making a significant impact. The accessibility to leadership here speaks volumes about our culture — you can walk up to our CEO with an idea or brainstorm strategy directly with our VP of Sales. This level of exposure and influence is increasingly rare in tech companies of our caliber, and I’m excited to continue growing my sales skills while making a meaningful impact across Persona.
Careers at Persona
Come join our incredible Sales team! We're seeking both Sales Development Representatives and Account Executives who want to shape the future of identity verification. Explore open roles and apply today here!
